# Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero (2014)

> A bright, wisecracking kid is whisked away to other dimensions with his friends to save the world, then returns home to ordinary life.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/55549

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 61
- Episode runtime: 12 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, science fiction, comedy, family
- Created by: Jared Bush, Sam Levine
- Network: Disney XD
- Cast: Thomas Middleditch, Tania Gunadi, Adam Devine, Alfred Molina, Larry Wilmore, Sam Levine, Gary Cole, Lea Thompson
- TMDB rating: 6.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3293184/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: breezy, playful, cozy, sincere

## What critics say

Reviewers found Penn Zero a bright, well-voiced kids' adventure with inventive worlds and warm humor, though its episodic formula is familiar.

## Synopsis

Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero (2014-2017) is an American animated science fiction comedy created by Jared Bush and Sam Levine for Disney XD. Penn Zero, voiced by Thomas Middleditch, is an ordinary teenager who every day is zapped into another dimension alongside his friends, including Sashi Kobayashi and Boone Wiseman. Their engine is simple and brisk: a quick mission to rescue a world from a threat, a clever solution, then a snap back to the everyday routine of school and family life. Rippen provides the recurring villainous pressure. The show runs as a two-season series of short installments, with a serialized thread running underneath the self-contained adventures. Its tone is breezy, playful, and full of kid-friendly gags, with a cozy, comforting energy and a sincere affection for friendship. Fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Gravity Falls, and Star vs. the Forces of Evil will find resonance in its animated family adventure spirit, its inventive alternate worlds, and its warm, youthful humor.

## Shows like Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero

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- [Amphibia (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/72531)
- [Star vs. the Forces of Evil (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/55150)
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- [Star Trek: Prodigy (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/88907)
- [Steven Universe (2013)](https://ember.film/tv/54555)
- [Ben 10 (2005)](https://ember.film/tv/4459)
- [Kid Cosmic (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/96821)

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